


Secrets

by LeoBananaPhone0829



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Burns, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Head Injury, Injury, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:55:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21701062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeoBananaPhone0829/pseuds/LeoBananaPhone0829
Summary: Finch Latimer knew the war would somehow catch up with her. It always does. But she didn't know it would be in the form of a Mandalorian and his adorable little adopted son. She just wanted a simple life after the war, a quiet life. You can't have everything I guess...
Relationships: The Mandalorian & Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 140





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alright this will be a bit of a mess. This is my first work on this platform. Don't be afraid to comment on what I can do better, as I am just getting back into writing.

"I'm sorry who are you looking for?" I hear Adar say as I finish pulling parts out of a nav device.

"Finch Latimer" A modulated voice speaks in a harsh tone.

Adar pops his head back into the shop. "Goggles, do you know a Finch Latimer?" He asks,

I adjust my goggles, hence the awful nickname, and grab a rag to wipe my hands. "Who's asking?"

"Mandalorian? I think, maybe a bounty hunter?" He shrugs his shoulders

I push my way out of the workshop into into the front room. "A mandalorian, huh?" I stop to see a man in all flashy silver armor. "That's Beskar isn't it?"

"Yes." He says. I notice a small hand coming out of a makeshift sling on his chest. "Stop that." He softly speaks to the owner of said hand.

"Why are you asking for me? Who said I was here?" It comes off a little more guarded than I would have liked it too.

"Cara Dune. She said you might be able to help me." He looks down at the bundle on his chest.

Gods, I haven't heard from Cara in almost five years. Since before the war ended. At least she's alive.

I shift my weight from foot to foot. "It has something to do with the creature you have there?" I ask nervously.

He stares at me through the helmet, then looks down at the child. "I need a crew member. Someone I can trust. The Womp Rat needs someone to look after him. I can pay you. Twenty percent of what I make."

"She works to hard for what I pay her." The old Ugnaught turns to me. "Go with him and the child. You'll get better pay even with the twenty percent." He turns back to the Mandalorian. "Twenty percent?" He asks accusingly.

"Make it twenty-five. I'll grab my bag." I turn back into the workshop.

Adar follows on my heels. I grab my scarf and put it over the exposed skin of my neck shoulders, and head. "You won't have to worry about the sun radiation out in space. Maybe the burns will finally heal. You won't need the coverings anymore." He motions over my scarf and long sleeves. I put a few of my tools in my bag as he continues. "I'm going to miss you. Come back and visit every now and again." He gives me an akward hug. I give him a final nod as I walk out the front door to the shop.

The Madalorian steps out behind me. His armor shines brightly in the sun, almost blinding. Beskar is hard to find these days and he has almost an entire set of armor, maybe it is an entire set I honestly can't tell. He's tall and intimidating. He moves almost silently. It's strange to see him with a child. He's all metal and roughness and the small green thing is soft and small.

"He mentioned something about burns? Are you injured?" The Mandalorian snaps me out of thought.

"Sun radiation burns my skin, no matter what planet I'm on. It could be the genetics I was handed, half Balosar,half Miraluka. I keep my skin covered when on planet, as well as my eyes just in case." I say without looking at him. I don't know why I'm telling him so much. Or really why I agreed to even come with him. He's hypnotizing in his own strange way. He doesn't say anyhting after that just walks toward the edge of town. A strange sense of choas follows him as he walks through town. Everyone stares and whispers. I watch closer to see them pointing at me as well. The girl who showed up with Adar after the war without a family, leaving with a Mandalorian. I move up to walk next to him. Try to show that I'm with him willingly, not one of his bounties. I feel so small next to his large frame, I was always a sickly child I didn't grow to be very tall. Under all of the layers there is pale, sickly looking skin that matches my frame. I ownder what he looks like under the armor. Is his skin healthy and vibrant? Is he even human? Most Mandalorians are but who knows, and the green child what if hes the same species?

I've been too wrapped up in my thoughts to notice that we have made it to the edge of town. His ship stands out against the dull sands. "Razor Crest? Old school." I mumble to my self as I board with him. It's small as most ships are. A bunk and a refresher with a ladder leading to the cockpit. He takes the child from the sling and hands it to me. I hold it out at arms reach. It's big glassy eyes stare at me. 

"And what exactly am I supposed to do with this thing, Mando? Can I call you that? Everyone should have a stupid name. I mean everyone just calls me Goggles." I babble nervously. The child laughs at me. 

"Well thats rude." I tell it. I climb one-handed up to the cockpit and sit in the co-pilots seat. "Wow, it's different sitting here." I mumble to myself.

The Mandalorian appears from the ladder. He takes the child and puts it in a hover crib. "Get comfotable we will be here a while." He tells the child as he starts the engine. What have I gotten myself into?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 Spoilers for those who haven't seen it!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've done more research than I ever thought possible for this fic. Wow. Let me know what you think!

I try to get up the ladder the best I can given the situation. The ship gets hit again and I slam my face into the ladder rung. "What the hell is going on up there?!" I shout. I climb the rest of the ladder and crash into the co pilots seat. I strap into the harness and try to hold on for dear life.

"Come on." Mando mutters as he flips more switches. 

"I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold." A mans voice says over the comm.

"Who is this clown and what does he want?" I try to say over all the screaming of the controls in front of him. He flips a few more switches and presses more buttons.

He suddenly jerks back on the stick and throws us behind this guys ship. But not without clipping an engine. Gods, that'll take forever to fix.

"That's my line." He says as the ship in front of us explodes in a hail of blaster fire. God this mans flare for the dramatics sometimes. Alarms still blare all around us. "We're losing fuel." he absentmindedly mutters as he's turning off all of the power. Once everything goes dark we sit in silence for a moment. He gets up to turn the power back on and turns to me. "Are you alright?" He asks with surprising concern in his voice.

"Just fine. Just great. Uhh.. Yeah." I say as my face is throbbing. "I hit the ladder with my face on the way up." I reply sheepishly. "But yea, I'm alright. Are you alright? What about the kid? And oh gods the ship!" I start rambling.

He stands in front of me for a moment then goes back to the task at hand. The child giggles. They are fine. Everythings fine. I need to relax. He flips more switches as he goes to sit down again. The comm crackles to life. "This is Mos Eisley Tower. We are tracking you. Head for bay three-five, over."

"Copy that." Mando replies calmly like we almost didn't just die five minutes ago. He flips another switch. "Locked in for three-five."

He's insane. I'm pretty sure theres just a fancy droid under all that armor. I mean no one can be that level headed. Not even a Mandalorian. I take a deep breath and look out to the encroaching planet. "It's been awhile since I've been to Tatooine. I thought Savereen was bad." I say.

He doesn't reply. I should really stop trying to make small talk with him. I don't think he likes it.

The suns shine brightly as we make our way to the city. I pull my scarf higher around my face and adjust my goggles and add some work gloves over my hands. At least I can work on the ship while he does, well whatever he does, he doesn't tell me.

We land with little trouble and he picks up the kid. I watch as he bundles him up and places him in his bunk. The door slides closed. "Hopefully he stays asleep. I want you to stay and work on the ship. Make sure droids don't touch it." He says as he walks to the cargo area and opens the hatch. He pulls his side arm and shoots at the small pit droids. My jaw drops.

"Hey! Hey!" A woman screams from inside the tiny shack. "You damage one of my droids you'll pay for it!" She angrily walks towards us. I put my hands up to show I'm unarmed. The last thing I need is for her to chuck a wrench at my head.

"Just keep them away from my ship." he spits as he holsters the blaster. He's going to get us killed.

I start to make my way around the ship assessing the damage as she continues to yell at him. She has way more guts than I do. He stands as she bangs on the side of the ship. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were in a shootout."

I scoff "Yea, no shit, lady." I mutter under my breath.

"And you? Whats your deal?" She yells top me through the machinery.

"I'm just his crew." I say as flat as I can. I want to at least seem like I'm not intimidated by her. "I'll stay here and help while he goes."

She almost looks relieved. She turns back to him. "You have a fuel leak. This is a mess."

I continue to make my way around the ship running my gloved hands over the hull. I mean a ship this old is bound to be a disaster. The Mandalorian stands rather uncomfortably as the woman continues to yell at him. I kind of feel bad. "Womp rat!" she yells after him as he leaves.

I stifle a laugh as I walk over to her. "Social skills aren't his top priority. I've been with him a week and I still don't know his name. I don't know if I'll ever know his name. He's good for the money though. Don't worry about that." I look over to the droids who still look a bit spooked. "And I'm sorry. He has a complex about droids. I wish I knew what it was about."

She waves me off as she puts on her work gloves. "Know anything about mechanics?" She asks.

"I worked in a scrapper shop before I was his one and only crew member." I say as I take a look at the fuel leak myself. One of the droids hands me a tool. "You know you guys aren't so bad. Kinda cute."

"Two bolts and a motivator." Peli moves her "chips" to the center of the table.

All of a sudden I hear a scream and the shifting of metal. The kid woke up. Oh Gods, the kid woke up. She doesn't know its onboard. I rush in front of her as she points her rifle towards it. "It's just a kid!" I scream blocking the child from her view. "He was asleep. Gods, this thing hardly ever sleeps. Please don't shoot it. The Mandalorian would gut me like a fish." I bend down and pick the child up and huddle it close to me. It coos and holds onto my scarf. I go and sit back down with him. "You know I have to fix our ship. Mando won't be happy if I don't. Let's go find something for you to do while I'm busy." I look around before spotting one of the droids looking around aimlessly. "Hey, look after the kid for me, will ya? Just don't let him eat anything he isn't supposed to." I say placing the child near it. It chirps back happily. "Droids aren't so bad. I don't know what his issue is." 

I don't even hear Mando until he's yelling at poor Peli who finally got the kid back to sleep. I once again jump in front of her, at least this time it's to protect her and not the kid. "Hey! Relax! The kid is fine. I have this taken care of!" I shout at him. "She just got that thing back asleep. Do you know how long it took her? While you were off running around we were taking care of it. Now, the fuel leak took a lot longer to fix because you didn't allow the droids to help. She's going to charge us a lot more. You better have gotten a job." I say using a threatening tone. He for sure is going to gut me later. He gives me a scolding look. At least I think he did by his body language. The nerve of this guy.

He walks back out of the hangar and me and Peli follow him. A guy is standing there waiting for him with two speeder bikes. I grab Mando by the wrist and pull him back a little. "For the love of the Gods, don't trust this kid. Please." I say in a hushed tone. He pats my hand and lets go. I watch as he gets on the bike and rides off after the guy. Was he wearing blue leather? What? I swear. Also, why did Mando pat my wrist like that? Was it a, yes I know this weird blue leather wearing man is into some shadier shit than we are, or was it a, silly woman you don't know what you are talking about, kind of pat? Why do I want him to touch me again? Am I okay? I look back at Peli holding the child. She looks down at it with a confused face as well. She looks to me. "Back to work!"


	3. Chapter 3

I look down at the child in his crib. He giggles back at me. "You're a pain in my ass. I hope you know that." I plop down in the pilots chair and look outside, towards the sky. "I was a pilot in the war. I lived for that adrenaline rush. There is nothing compared to that feeling. Nothing at all." The child looks to me, all glassy eyes and big floppy ears. "When he said he needed someone to come with him, the only thing I could think of was feeling that rush again. During that firefight I felt a sliver of what I felt before. It was amazing. It was perfect. Cara was right to send him to me like she did. I won't let anything happen to you." 

I watch as one of the suns just barely breaks over the horizon. I pull my goggles on and run a hand through my hair before grabbing the black piece of tattered fabric and wrapping it around my head and neck, I really need to get a new scarf, this one has seen better days. Maybe after this job if we have anything left after paying for the repairs. 

"Hey! Goggle Girl! You awake in there?" I hear Peli call into the vessel. She's really early. 

"Yeah! Give me a few minutes!" I call back to her. I look at the child. "I need to feed you before you get fussy." I start to look for rations in some of the cabinets. "Hmm, blue electrolyte drink and a protein bar? We can share?" I ask him. He squeals back at me. 

I turn off my welding torch when I see Peli move out of the corner of my eye. "Everything okay?" I ask turning around, only to be met with a blaster in my face. "I knew he shouldn't have trusted your stupid ass." I sneer at the kid in blue leather. Does the Mandalorian not have a brain under that helmet of his? "Did you at least leave him alive? Or is his body sitting in the sand waiting for looters?" I spit out at him. I won't admit it out loud but I'm worried for Mando. What if this guy knocked him out before ditching him? He could be wandering around the desert confused and delirious, cooking in his armor. Or worse what if he got shot and he's bleeding out on the sand? What if he's already dead? 

"He's alive, last time I saw him he was going off to find a Dewback. Hopefully he gets here soon so I don't have to shoot you or the kid." He points his blaster at the child. If this guy is willing to shoot a child I can only imagine what else he could do. "Alright look," I set down my torch and put my hands up. "Me and the kid will go sit right over there and we can wait for Mando to get back. Okay?" I try to say as calmly and level as possible. I really don't need to be shot today. Especially by this asshole. I take a deep breath and take a step forward testing him. 

"Go! Keep the kid occupied." He points his blaster over to a bare spot on the wall. 

I quickly go over and scoop the kid up on the way. Peli looks at me nervously from the other side of the hanger. I search my pockets for something to entertain the kid. I find the ball from the throttle. I smile at the image of Mando giving the child the ball after the kid got fussy. He really is a good guardian for the little guy. A good father. 

I watch as the suns start to set. 

There's a scuffle not far away, one of the pit droids scurrying back into the shack, when I see him. His Beskar reflects the moonlight, he has his blaster drawn and he barely glances over in my direction before Blue Leather points his blaster at him and walks over to grab the child from me. "Touch him, and I will rip you limb from limb." I say through gritted teeth, holding the child closer to my chest. 

He points his blaster at the child. Then at my face. "Don't make this hard, sweetheart. I'll let you go, I only need the kid and him." 

"Give him the child. It's okay." Mando says gently as Peli is cuffing him. She whispers something to him I can't make out. 

I slowly walk towards Blue and ask him. "What's your name?" 

He scoffs confidently. "Toro Calican." 

"Take care of the child." I say softly, more to the child than to him. I gently hand the kid over to him. 

I watch in horror as he points the blaster towards the child's tiny frame. "You're a guild traitor Mando." He waves the blaster around. "And I'm willing to bet that this here is the target you helped escape." 

I try to move towards them. "Don't move sweetheart. It will get you and this thing killed" Pompous asshole. He turns back towards Mando "Bringing you and the child in won't make me a member of the guild. It'll make me legendary." 

A bright light goes off behind Mando. A flash charge, I realize. That's what Peli was whispering to him about. By the time I can see again Toro is on the ground. "Where's the kid!?" I yell frantically looking around. 

"He's alright. Those loud noises are rough on those big ears." Peli says handing the child to Mando. 

"We need to go." Mando says grabbing the credits off of the dead man. "This should cover it." He says dumping a decent amount in Pelis palm before disappearing into the ship. 

I grab her other hand. "Thank you for everything. Stay safe." I grab the blaster from Toro's hand. 

She gives me a nod before I walk up the ships hatch and close it. Mando is there before I can blink. "Are you okay?" He asks putting his gloved hands on my shoulders. 

I blink just now realizing how bad my eyes hurt from the charge. "What? Um. My- my eyes." I say stripping off my goggles and rubbing them. "The flash. Even with the shades on." I pull my scarf over them trying to block out as much light as possible. "Give me a few... uh seconds." I wait for the pain to minimize and his hands stay on my shoulders. He can't see any of my face at this point. I mean he can't see much to begin with but still. I blink slowly as the pain fades. I slip the goggles back over my eyes. "Sorry it happens sometimes." I mumble as I notice his gloved hands are still on me. I put my hand on one of his. "I'm alright." I look up at his visor. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets go. I finally get a good look at him and see singe marks on his shoulder and chest plate. I reach out to tough the marks on his chest. "How many times were you hit? Are you okay?" I ask softly, wondering why he put my eyes over the fact that he got shot multiple times. 

"Three or four. I'm fine." He says still standing close. I let my fingers slide off the cool metal. I can tell he's exhausted. Two days in the desert heat will do that to a normal person not to mention someone who wears multiple layers of armor. He climbs the ladder to the cockpit and starts the takeoff sequence. He waits until we are off planet before putting the ship into auto pilot. He slumps into the pilot chair with a sigh. 

"Go get some rest. Me and the kid got this." The kid responds with an excited squeal. He acts like he wasn't just almost kidnapped and possibly murdered. 

"Give me that blaster. I have better models for you to use." He holds out his gloved hand. I hand it to him. He gets up and climbs down the ladder. 

He would give me one of his weapons? Has he considered this in the past? Considered me? The kid coos at me. "You're right. I'm being ridiculous. He barely notices me as is. I'm over thinking again, just like always. I don't even know if you can understand me." He holds out his hands wanting to be picked up. I settle him in my lap as I watch the streak of stars pass in hyperdrive. I never did ask where we were going now. It'll be a surprise. 

I'm completely zoned out when I hear steps on the ladder. I sit up straight with a yawn. "Hey, how did you sleep?" I ask raising my finger to my lips. "He's been sleeping for awhile." Mando takes him from my arms and I stretch out a little. 

"I slept decent." He says softly looking down at the baby. Gods, that thing is so cute. "You should get some sleep. You look tired." 

I nod before standing up. He quickly takes my seat and places the child in his crib. He stirs softly but doesn't awaken. I climb down the ladder before looking around the hull. It's almost completely dark down here. I take off my goggles and let my eyes adjust to the faint light. The scarf comes off next and I smooth down my messy hair, the short locks sticking out everywhere. I should really trim it, before it gets hard to fit under the scarf. It's strange to take it off, a safe barrier between me and the outside world. I look at my reflection in the tiny mirror above the sink in the refresher. The pale skin contrasts the almost black hair and bright green eyes. I'm glad I didn't inherit my fathers small antennae, or for that matter my mothers lack of eyes, Gods I couldn't even imagine. My older brother on the other hand got both traits. No eyes and two weird little feelers as my mom would call them. 

I splash water on my face as I try to push them from my mind. Now is not the time. Now is time for sleep before trouble finds us again. I sit on the edge of the bunk and slip my boots off. I place my scarf and goggles next to me as I lay down. Tomorrow is another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone mentioned I should edit the paragraph and spacing. I hope this is better. Let me know. Also I have no idea where this is going to go. I mean I have an idea but I want it to stay a little bit canon at least. I don't know. We will see I guess! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Edit # 2: So i'm a little slow figuring out the editing it turns out. Woops, hopefully this fixes it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SIX SPOILERS!!!  
> Alright I was going to diverge from canon but then chapter six came out and I think that's the perfect way to showcase just how much the character loves and appreciates Mando and the kid, while still being a smart ass. I will also add in bits and pieces of her backstory.  
> Happy reading!

I cross my arms over my chest as he goes over it with me again. "After what happened with Calican you want to go and trust an entire group of bounty hunters? Are you insane?"

He takes another step towards me. I can't tell if he's trying to make me feel better about the situation or just trying to intimidate me. "It'll get us enough to be able to hide for awhile. Planet of your choosing." 

I take a breath before looking for my bag. "I bought a few things when we got supplies last. Cameras for the ship and your helmet and comm links. If you won't let me go out on jobs with you, at least don't leave me in the dark. You can turn them off whenever you want, just what happened on Tatooine, I have to be able to protect the kid if something was to come our way." He tips his helmet as he listens to me. "And the kid likes to wander. It'll help me keep an eye on him while I do repairs. I think he can sense the fact that children scare me." I laugh a little. 

"You bought nanny cams for the ship?" He asks if that's the craziest part of what I said. 

I walk over to my bag and pull the devices from it. "I got three cameras, One for the cargo hold, one for the cockpit and one for your helmet. That is if you will let me put it there." I don't want to push my luck to far. If he doesn't want them I won't force them. It is his ship after all. I pull out my holopad as well. "I'll be able to interface them using this. I can see all three at once." 

He holds out his hand. "Alright. I'll set up the one for the cockpit. Do the other one quick. Our guests will be here soon." I hand him his and he disappears up the ladder. I scale a few cargo holds and put it up in the far corner. I watch as the camera flickers to life and my face pops up on the pad, not long after I see Mando's face as well. Well, helmet not his face. 

He comes back down the ladder and I grab the last one. When I turn around he's right there. I reach up on my tiptoes and one of his hands anchors on my hip to steady me. This man and his touches, and lack of personal space is going to kill me. I try not to fumble with the device as I place it on the side of his helmet. "Just press this if you want to turn it off. You can turn it off at any time." I say softly. I place my hands on his shoulders and look into the dark visor. "Hide the kid in your bunk." I take a look around before spotting a sizeable crate. "I can hide there. I'm pretty sure that ones empty and it's pretty roomy. You have got to be careful. Come back to us. Promise?" I ask softly. 

His hand squeezes my hip gently. "I will come back. Now, where's your blaster? I want it on you." He looks around for a second before finding it. His hand shifts to my lower back as he guides me to the crate. Our hands meet as he gives me the blaster. "Don't move. No matter what happens. No matter what you see. I need you to be safe." 

"No matter what. I promise." I take the comm out of my pocket and hand it to him. "Be careful. Stay safe. I'm right here." 

He gives me one final nod before I get in the crate. I'm hiding from a group of bounty hunters in a crate. I'm hiding in a crate from bounty hunters because I am falling in love with the one in shiny metal armor. My mother would be so damn proud of me. I watch on the pad as he places the kid in his bunk and locks the door. He gives one last look around before disappearing. His camera clicks on as he walks off the ship. I turn on my comm "Testing, testing. Bird girl to Metal Head." I can't help but laugh at the stupid nicknames. 

"Metal head?" He responds back with a crackle. 

"Just a test. I'll leave you alone. Be safe." I say quietly back. A droid boards the ship and starts running diagnostics, it will not be happy with what it finds that's for sure. This thing is a pile of garbage. But this pile of garbage is my home, so. I focus back on what Mando is looking at, a flight plan. A crazy one at that. Mando could never pull that off, he's a good pilot but not that good. Looking at it makes me itch to be at the controls again. 

The three sitting in the cargo hold are loud and rude, I don't need a camera to tell me that, though. A human, a Twi'lek, and a Devaronian. Mayfeld, Xi'an, Brug. 

Somehow Brug, honestly that fits him pretty well, gets into the weapons vault, Mando is going to kill him. Speak of the Metal Head, he descends from the ladder and closes the vault with his wrist control. I watch as they stare each other down. This job is not going to end well. I watch and listen as they taunt him, asking about his helmet and bringing up past jobs. "I know who you really are." Xi'an says. We all have a nasty past. There's no reason to bring it up. She brings her hand to her chest as she mocks him more. The Devaronian goes for his helmet. I clutch the pad to my chest, closing my eyes as they try to wrestle it off his head. This is not the right time for me to see his face. I want him to show it to me when he is ready, on his terms alone. Not because some jackasses want to see it. 

A scrape of metal and a squeal makes me look back at the pad. They found the kid. Gods, they found the child. What will they do to it? What will the do to Mando? I can't outshoot three bounty hunters and a droid. Especially that woman and her knives, she'll get to me before they do. Mayfeld approaches it. Don't touch him. 

"What is it a pet or something?" Mayfeld asks. A pet? Does it look like a Tooka to you?

"Something like that." Mando replies darkly. What is that voice? My gods. No, focus on the situation at hand.

I watch in horror as the man picks up the child. At least he's holding it gently, but I still want to put a blaster bolt through his skull. He pretends to drop it, and I about lose my mind. I'm going to kill this guy.

"Dropping out of hyper space.'' The droid says over the speaker. I didn't even know the ship had one of those? I've just been yelling up the ladder to the cockpit all this time. I jerk forward as we slow. "Commencing final approach." I try to brace myself the best I can for this whack ass flight plan. I might die here in this crate. I watch as everyone is thrown around, the child included. Mando tries his best to catch the child but fails. Once the ship stops moving I stifle a groan, I somehow managed to bash my head into the wall of the crate, knocking my goggles off in the process. I grope around for them as I watch Mando scoop up the child and put it back into his bunk. When he turns he places a hand on my crate, as if to make sure I'm okay. 

He pulls out a code scrambler from who knows where and crouches down as the floor hatch opens. I watch from his view as he connects it to the prison ships hatch. A prison ship. I don't want to be watching from a screen. These people are dangerous. What if something goes wrong? 

Mayfeld pops his head into the hatch and then disappears. I guess everythings okay. The other two go next. I turn on my comm and it crackles to life. "Be careful. Please. Stay safe." I almost whisper into it. 

"Stay there. Remember what I said, no matter what." He barely murmurs back. The static almost concealing his words. He jumps down through the hatches. I can only watch as they run through the halls looking for the control room. A small droid runs in front of them, and the Devaronian pulls his blaster and decides for whatever reason to shoot at it. Alright, Burg might be the muscle but he is an idiot. Four droids turn the corner and open fire on the group. Mando slips down the next hallway and takes off running. He slides around a corner and pulls two riot batons from his belt. He then slides towards them. I'd pay to watch this man destroy four prison droids in a heartbeat. Getting a first persons view is great and all but I bet it's a sight to behold. 

Two more come out and he takes them down with ease. He turns back to the group and there is nothing but shock on Mayfelds face. Xi'an walks by with a huge smile on her face, Burg pushes past him. As soon as they walk through the control room door the camera and the comm switches off. "No. No, no no no!" I whisper shout. I reach for my blaster and watch the droid in the cockpit, nothing seems wrong. Maybe the signal just got jammed. It happens sometimes. I take a breath and loosen my scarf around my head, it's getting hot in here. Maybe it's just the stress of the situation. 

The camera flips back on and they are standing in front of a cell door. His comm stays off. The door opens and there's an angry looking Twi'lek inside. He steps out only to facedown with Mando. I can already tell where this is going. 

Burg shoves him in the cell as pulls his blaster from his hip, it's already too late. He falls to the ground as the blaster bolt bounces around the cell. Somehow the comm turns back on in the scuffle. He looks around. I take a deep breath before speaking into the comm. "Alright. I need you to ground yourself. Think about what you are doing, Think about your surroundings, take a breath. Listen." I speak calmly and clearly. He probably doesn't need my help, with him being a seasoned bounty hunter and all. He peaks out of the cell door to see a droid walking by. He shoots it with his grappling hook and drags it to the door. He breaks the arm off of it before shooting it with his blaster. He flicks the rest of the parts away, disgusted. He picks up the arm and turns the elbow joint, popping the probe out of it. I would have never though of that. I would have gone for the air ducts, but I'm also at least a foot shorter than him and 100 pounds lighter, that is without his armor. He's out of the cell as soon as the door opens. 

"I need some help here." He says gruffly into the comm, sounding out of breath. 

"I had a mission like this. Find the control room, cut the lights. Not the power, that will release all of the prisoners, just the lights." 

"Mission?" He asks back to me while looking around. 

"I did a few things in the rebellion. Couple of jobs. They had me on a strike team for awhile. They liked how small I was." I reply, almost embarrassed. No one wants to admit they were on a team because of their stature. 

"I thought you would be more of the mechanic type. You're pretty decent at that." He says jogging into the control room, with his blaster haphazardly raised. He walks over and to the control panel and flips a few switches, he looks toward the hallway where the emergency red lights are flashing. 

"Perfect. Now, you need to isolate them, split them up. You should be able to shut off hallways, one by one." I watch as he presses buttons and flips switches. 

"Okay, Xi'an and Qin are split up at least." He replies tensely. 

"You're doing great. It looks like the droid is having some trouble with the comms. You need to hurry." I look into the cockpit camera and see the kid standing behind the droid. He got out. How? The droid stares at him for a moment before turning around and grabbing his blaster. The kid climbs into an open air vent next to the door. That's going to need to be sealed. How have I not noticed it? The droid leaves the cockpit in search of the child. 

Mando bends down over a body and picks up something. "That's a tracking beacon. It's been activated! Mando, a squad of X-wings are on their way to destroy that ship. You need to get out of there now!" I yell frantically. 

"I know." He replies shortly. Oh, this is how I die. This is how we die. 

I look back to the screen as the droid climbs down the ladder, blaster in hand. He passes my crate. He must be looking for the child still. He opens the weapons vault and looks into it. Thank the stars the kid isn't there. If I remember right that vent should lead back into the bunk. Or so I hope. That's probably how he got there in the first place. 

Looking at three different cameras at once is getting old. Mando has somehow made it into the airduct above the control room. He pulled one from my book, smart. The Devaronian walks under him, the camera clicks off again, Is he planning on killing him? Is that why he keeps turning it off? 

The droid continues to look around the hold, searching for the child that is no where to be seen at the moment. Good, even if I will have to look for him later. 

"Camera is staying off. I'll keep comms open for now." Mando crackles through. Is he just beating the crap out of people? Hmm, odd. 

This droid really needs to give up on looking for the kid. He won't though. Something slides open and he whips around. This creep needs to get off of my ship. He opens the bunk door open and the kid is standing there, ears low. He points his weapon straight into it's chest. I put down the pad and grab my blaster, I know Mando said to stay put but I can't let the kid die. Even if it means I would die. I think back to my days in the rebellion after my mother died. I tried to keep my family together, it didn't work but I tried. I can at least try to keep this one together.

I hear footsteps outside of the crate and then a blaster shot. No. Please. No. I muffle a scream into my hand. The footsteps get closer before stopping. The lid to the crate is pulled off. I launch myself at the attacker, blaster drawn. "Hey! Hey! It's me!" The modulated voice yells. Mando, it's Mando. 

"Where's the kid?!" I scream frantically tears in my eyes. Mando pulls the weapon from my hand and tosses it to the ground. "Where is he?!" I scream again. Arms wrap around me and I'm pulled into cold Beskar. I thrash against him. 

"He's okay. He's alright. Relax." I go limp against him. The child is safe, alive. I try to catch my breath. "You did good." He murmurs softly, his helmet barely picking up the sound. He shifts his arms so one gloved hand rests at the base of my neck and the other is splayed inbetween my shoulder blades. "You are coming with me from now on. I can keep an eye on you and the kid at the same time." 

"Oh so I need a baby sitter now?" I joke quietly as I wrap my arms around his waist. We sit there just like that for a moment. I can tell the adrenaline he feels is starting to wear off, his body slumps with exhaustion. 

"The bounty is sitting in the cockpit alone. We need to hurry, I planted the tracker on him." He says pulling away from me. He takes my scarf and wraps it more securely around my face. It must have slipped in our scuffle. 

"Is this how we die? I think it is." I shout as I climb the ladder to the cockpit. 

"There she is." I can hear the smile in his voice as he climbs behind me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm tired of canon, This took days to write. I thought I would put more backstory and I just couldn't find a good place to put it. Oh well. At least I have an idea of where this is going now. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

I watch mesmerized as blood drips on the floor of the cockpit. "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?" I ask through the tense silence. The Twi'lek gives me a dirty look. Qin? I think that is his name. 

"I'm fine for now." Mando replies shortly. Alright no more talking until this guy is off of the ship. He doesn't like to talk while dealing with his catch. 

We approach the ship floating leisurely through space. Mando lands with no problems. As he stands he gives me and the kid a once over while grabbing Qin. He shoves him roughly towards the ladder. I watch through the cockpit as he marches him up to a guy with long hair and a beard just as long if not longer than his hair. The man exchanges credits for the Twi'lek. I bounce nervously as Mando boards again. I start take off protocol and take a seat in the pilots chair. "The X-wings should be here any second now." I murmur to myself. As if on que they approach. Mando comes up the ladder as I turn on the comms. trying to contact them. "This is Pilot X1973. I repeat this is pilot X1937. Do not target the Razors Crest. I repeat don't target the Razors Crest." I relay in a calm yet authoritative voice. I miss using my pilots voice. 

"Copy X1973. Good to hear from you, glad you're still alive. X0146 out." A male voice answers back. I watch as they gently glide over the ship. They open fire on the vessel behind us. 

"I thought you said you were part of a strike team?" Mando asks from the copilots seat. 

"I wasn't the best at that. My thoughts got in the way. Too many of them. I piloted a fighter for awhile." I reply as I set a course for the next star system. 

"X-wing?" He asks, almost in awe. 

"Red 4." I reply as I prep for warp. 

"That squadron is legendary. You didn't think to maybe mention that?" He starts to get a little agitated. 

"You never asked. I just wanted a quiet life after the war. I lost both of my parents, and my older brother disappeared. I didn't need it following me around like that." I turn to look at him.

His next question shocks me. "How old are you?" 

"Younger than you think. Now, we needs to address that injury. You've lost a decent amount of blood judging by the pool at my feet." I motion to the dark red puddle. 

His body language becomes softer, he stands and goes for the ladder. I slide down after him. "Med kit is in that compartment." He points a gloved finger at one. I grab it as he takes a seat. 

I approach him like a wild animal as I speak. "We are going to have to take some armor off. At least a pauldron and the chest plate. Cape and such as well. I can help if you want me too. I need to see the wound enough to determine if you need stiches or if I can just cauterize it." 

He looks at me a moment longer before reaching for the chest plate. I rush over to help him undo the straps. Once its off I set it lightly to the side. I work on the pauldron. The Beskar is mostly smooth, except with a few dings in it. I run my fingers over it, before setting it with the other piece. I unclip his cape and set that aside as well. I can finally see where the blood is coming from. "She got you in between the plates of you flak jacket. At least I hope it was her. Only a crazy woman like that could have such good aim. Think you can get this off without taking off the helmet? It's okay if you don't want my help." I say sheepishly, knowing that the more armor he takes off the more exposed he will feel. He grabs my hand and guides it over to the other shoulder. 

"I trust you." He says firmly. I nod and get to work. 

He sits in front of me in a thin tan shirt, armor still encasing his lower half and his helmet still in place. His frame is strong, a bit thinner than the armor lets on. I pull on a pair of gloves as I prod at the cut on his shoulder. "I think it may need stitches, It's to close to the joint for cauterizing. It may rip back open." I analyze clinically. "This won't feel very nice. I do have to clean it though." I grab gauze and dump anti-septic onto it. "Alright. Hold onto me if you need to. You won't hurt me." I press the gauze into the wound and he hisses, but doesn't tense up. When the wound is clean I set up my needle and thread. "Ready?" I try to get a good look at it through my goggles. I sigh. "Give me a second." I say nervously. I tug them off my face and get closer to him, I stand straddling his leg. My eyes adjust to the lights. "Okay. Are you ready for real this time?" I joke. He grips my hip. A hiss breaks through his helmet as I start stitching. His hand grips my hip hard. I continue stitching. A groan rips through his throat as I get to the halfway mark. "Let's take a break. You're doing great." I strip my glove off as he leans forward and plants his head into my side. I rub my hand up and down his back. "After this you can sleep, okay? I just need you to stay awake a bit longer. Losing all that blood is making you sleepy. Let's finish this, halfway there." I pick up the needle again as he sits back. "Here we go." 

When the wound is stitched and cleaned, I can see a sliver of tan skin. It looks soft, strong, vibrant. Just like I imagined it would. "Can I see your eyes?" His voice cuts through the silence.

"My What? You want to see my eyes?" I ask taken aback at the request. No one has ever cared about whats behind the welding goggles turned constant sun protection. I remember what I saw in the mirror a few days ago, the green orbs looking back at me, looking like they don't belong. I take a deep breath and kneel down to be level with his face. I adjust my scarf so it covers my face and mouth and slowly look up into the dark visor. 

I feel him study me intently. One second passes, then another. Fear fills me. "I can't. I can't do it." I spin so I'm facing away from him. A gloved hand is placed on my shoulder. He slowly spins me back towards him, I keep my head down. "They don't match me. I feel like I'm staring at someone else in the mirror." I whisper. He takes my chin in his hand and I let him raise my head. I keep my eyes closed. 

"They're green. Like trees." He says softly as if he could shatter me with his voice.

I can do this. He bared himself to me. I can let him see this part of me. I let my eyes flutter open again. I search his visor for any emotion. It stares back at me, empty, cold. But his response is anything but. "Beautiful." He barley whispers. I let him take the goggles from my hands and slide them back over my head. He makes sure they are in place before letting go of me all together. "I'll go and make sure the kid is okay." He says as he stands. He sways for a moment before righting himself. He really needs to rest, but I know he won't until he knows the child is okay. 

I slide down the wall into a sitting position, my elbows resting on my knees. I strip my scarf off and run both hands through my dark hair. What is going on? I'm travelling with a bounty hunter and some kid? Am I actually falling for this guy? I spot his armor sitting in the place I left it. He didn't put it back on before going to see the kid. I lift myself off my feet and find the polish that I've seen him use at times in a compartment near the bunk. 

Mandalorian iron is one of the strongest metals out there, looking at the dings and scratches on his chestplate confirms this. I dip the rag in polish and start scrubbing away the soot from blaster fire, ands the blood from his shoulder wound. I move from piece to piece until I get to the final pauldron. I pick it up gently and turn it over gently in my hands. The weight of the metal is comforting. I don't even hear him climb down the ladder. "You didn't have to do that." He speaks into the silence. 

"I needed something to quiet all the thoughts. There's too many." I say as I continue polishing. "Besides, you always do this before sleeping. You really need rest, you lost a lot of blood." I don't even think he can hear me at this point, I'm talking so quietly. I feel like I'm in a trance. 

He gently takes the pauldron from my hand and studies it himself. He looks between me and it for awhile. What he does next surprises me. He places the metal piece on my shoulder and straps it down. "It looks good on you." I reach up to unstrap it. he places his hand over mine. "Leave it there. Just for a bit." The modulated voice sounds strange. Theres warmth in it. Longing, maybe. 

As I look back to him my mind goes quiet for once. The thousands of thoughts all at once cease, leaving me in silence. I want to move closer to him, gravitate towards him. I don't though. "I'll leave it on if you get some sleep. I'll watch over the kid, make sure everything is okay. You need to rest." I say quietly, cautiously. 

"Okay." He says, when he stands I can see the toll the day had on him. A slight limp, slow movements, as stubborn as he is, he does need the sleep. 

The child touches the pauldron softly. "It's pretty isn't it? Shiny. Strong." I bounce him in my lap a bit. Children used to make me so nervous. So fragile, delicate. But since taking care of this little guy I've learned that they aren't as bad as I thought. I still think they are gross though, always sticky or slimy. "Yea, kids are still gross. Look at you drooling everywhere. You're lucky you're cute." I look around the cockpit and spot the throttle ball he likes to play with. I untwist it and hand it to him. "We should really get some work done. I can work on some stuff up here while your dad sleeps. He really needs it." I place him in his carrier and grab my pair of working gloves. "How about we try the nav system. I think the droid said it could use some work." 

I lay on the floor under the control panel as I solder some pieces into place. Music plays through my holopad. I bounce my foot to the beat. The kid coos enthusiastically. "It's always so quiet in here. You need music for your growing mind." I talk to him as I work. At least he's staying put today. "My mother used to dance around with my father, I always thought it was cheesy and dumb. I miss them sometimes." I tell him. "I wonder if your parents know you're out here. What happened to them? Leaving you on that dusty planet. Well now you have me and your dad. I'm not really the mothering type, maybe more of the aunt who gives gifts from far away places and occasionally babysits. But, Mando he is perfect father material, he has the role down cold. Even if he does let you eat live creatures." I laugh. The kid giggles as well. 

I let my arms drop to the floor as it hits me like tank. "Stars, I think I'm in love with him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo. I ended up taking LadyIrinas pauldron idea. I love that concept of a piece of armor for someone the Mandalorian loves. If anyone has any idea on how to tag her please let me know. I'm still figuring out this platform. Thanks for reading. Come back soon!


	6. Chapter 6

The snow blows around us as we exit the ship. "I regret letting you pick the planet." Mando huffs out.

"I'm sorry that I don't like planets covered by desert that have more than one sun. Crondre has a decent rebel presence still. It will be easy for us to find work. The city is smaller than I would like, but still big enough for us to blend in." I put the breathing mask on under my scarf and tug the collar of my parka up around my face. The child coos from underneath it. "Your helmet warms the air for you right?" I ask in his direction.

"Yes." he replies. Still a man of few words. 

A figure moves toward us, slowly growing out of the storm, and out of the corner of my eye I see Mando's hand twitch towards his blaster. I grab at his wrist lightly. The figure becomes more clear. "Felix!" I run to embrace the man. He catches me and hugs me back. 

"Heard you got yourself into some trouble with a Mandalorian, and a kid." He says. The kid coos in response to him being talked about. Felix gasps and I unzip my jacket a bit to show him. "His ears are huge, he has to be freezing out here." He replies mystified. 

Mando walks up and takes a step slightly in front of me. "This is the Mandalorian I was talking about." I say in a softer voice. Felix holds out his hand and Mando shakes it. 

"Let's get you three out of this storm. It's only supposed to get worse, you arrived just in time." He says turning around and leading us through the small city. 

========================================

"Felix are you sure?" I ask looking around at our accommodations, they are way nicer than anything we could afford. Mando looks around as if lost. 

"Anything for an old friend. In the morning I'll come get you for the job. For now I need you to rest though. Get warm." He replies taking my freezing hands in his. I nod and he exits the room. 

Mando turns toward me. "You got a job?" He asks harshly. 

"It's an easy one. I'll be escorting a medical supply vessel to Ord Pardron." I let the child out of my coat, he toddles up to him and reaches out. Mando picks him up gently. "Besides, your shoulder really needs to heal properly. I can't have you ripping those stiches out." I motion to his shoulder. He slumps in defeat knowing I'm right. "I'll be okay. Quick flight. I'll be back before it gets dark." I try to convince him. 

The child yawns in his arms. He looks down at it and mumbles something in Mando'a. This isn't the first time I've heard him speak it to the child. "You two should get some rest. I'll take first watch" He says softly as the child blinks sleepily. 

"You need sleep as well. We're safe here. I promise." I say slipping off my boots and coat, I hang them by the door. It's a normal thing to do, I realize. Come home and put your coat by the door. 

"One of us should-" He starts. 

"We are safe. I wouldn't have brought us here if we weren't. Now I am going to go take a real shower." I take my goggles off and throw them on the bed. I grab a change of clothes and slip into the bathroom. My scarf comes off and slips onto the ground. Stars, it's seen better days. I though it was bad before. I pick up the haggard piece of cloth and place it on the counter. I take a deep breath and look in the mirror. The lighting is better here than in the refresher in the Razor Crest. My pale face doesn't look so haunted. It looks softer, smoother. My black hair longer, starting to look like it was cut nicely and with skill rather than a dull knife.

The warm water feels amazing after the frigid air outside. As the last of the soap is washed down the drain I shut off the water. I grab the towel off the rack and dry off quickly trying to avoid the chill as much as possible. As I take another look at my scarf I get an idea.

I take a deep breath as I walk out of the bathroom scarf in hand. I stand in a thin black tanktop and pants. Mando looks up at me from where he is cleaning his blaster. He sets everything down gently to not wake the child. He stands and moves toward me. I notice he isn't wearing his gloves. I see him hesitate before reaching for my hand. He barely touches me, letting his fingers move up my arm towards my shoulder. "I have an idea, so you could sleep as well without worry." I say softly. He tilts his helmet just a bit, but stays quiet. His other hand has started exploring the hand with the scarf in it, still using a feather light touch. "Tie this around my eyes, you can take the armor off. Sleep more comfortably." I murmur, watching the way his golden, tan skin contrasts the pale, sickly tone of mine. My eyes flick between him and the only bed in the small apartment. "I don't know if there are loopholes in The Way like that." I trail off. 

He tilts his head again before grabbing the scarf. He leads me to the bed with his hand on my bare shoulder. I can't help to think what if this was a different situation? His fingertips burn into my skin at the thought. I sit down gently and he brushes the hair off of my forehead before placing the scarf over my eyes, he ties a knot in the back and then loops it around my head again. "Just in case." He mumbles. I wonder how quiet his voice can go before the vocoder doesn't pick it up at all. I wonder what those mumbles and murmurs would sound like without the helmet. It makes something pull in my chest. 

His hands are on my skin again when he finishes tying the make shift blindfold, rubbing from my wrists to shoulders. "Lay down, sleep." He murmurs barley a crackle through the helmet. As I lay down he pulls the covers over me. A real bed. Oh, stars. It's amazing. I scoot to the far end and turn away from him. Give him a little bit of space. I curl up on my side as I listen to scrapes of Beskar and rough canvas. Weapons being laid on the table. A hiss of air as he slides his helmet off. A thunk as it gets laid on the table with the rest of his things. He walks around the room for a moment, checking locks, and on the child. Finally I feel the bed shift with his weight. He lays down stiffly. I try to move farther away, giving him space. He doesn't relax at all. 

I hear rather than see his hand slipping under the covers searching for me, I roll over so I'm facing him. He releases a breath I didn't know he was holding. "Relax, I'm right here." I whisper into the darkness. I reach for his hand and intertwine our fingers. "Not going anywhere. Relax, sleep." Drowsiness starts to over come me. 

===========

I awake to something shifting beneath me slightly. It's warm and comfortable. Then I feel the arms wrap tighter around me. I panic for a moment before I remember where I am. Mando. In bed with Mando. I hold my breath as I take stock of our position. My head rests on his shoulder and my leg is slung over his, half on him the other half on the bed. His arms tighten around me "Nuhoy ner cyar'ika." He mumbles, still mostly asleep. His voice makes my heart stop, at least that's how it seems. Low, Sleep laced, husky. So pure without the helmet. I can't help but comply with his demand. Sleep takes me once more. ================== 

I'm up and waiting for Felix outside just after the sun rises. The child and Mando still sleep soundly. Let me tell you, it was a pain in the ass to get dressed with a blindfold on. The black shirt I'm wearing is too big under my parka. I'm pretty sure I picked up his instead of mine. It smells like him, metal, engine grease and the weird soap he uses. Felix's voice brings me out of my trance. "How long have you been out here?" He asks, breathless under the breathing mask. 

"Not long. I wasn't sure when you would get here, and the other two are still asleep." I reach a hand under my hood and run a hand through my hair. The storm blocks out most of the sun, between the mask, goggles and hood I figured I would be okay. I left the scarf hanging by the door. 

"You have to brief the lieutenant on your situation. He has requested an update on the child." Felix says in a rush tone. 

"Can we get a little farther away from the Mandalorian and all his fancy gadgets please? He doesn't know that I've been updating the New Republic on his ungodly rare bundle of joy." I look behind me expecting Mando to be there, decked out in full armor, pulse rifle trained at my chest. "I don't know how to bring it up to him." I sigh. "He trusts me. He's opening up to me. He sought me out to help him, came to me. I don't know why he chose me. He could have picked up someone who actually knows about raising children. But no, he travelled to the backwater skug hole of Saraveen to get me. Pulled me from that hellhole of an assignment. On top of that I'm pretty sure I'm in love with him!" I rant as we walk towards a building that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Damn blizzard. 

"Are you okay? Holy shit, woman. Just go talk with Major Fonchill, he always knows what to do." He looks me up and down a bit. "You have to change into a flight suit. It's weird to see you in dark colors like that. Gotta get you back in orange." 

As we enter the building a man walks up to us. "Captain Latimer, I am Major Fonchill. Edhorn here has told me a lot about you. You are with the Mandalorian that has the child, correct?" Wow, okay just cut right to the point then. 

I straighten my posture before I speak to him. "Yes sir. I believe it is force sensitive. The last one of it's species was as well? Correct?" He nods and I continue. "I've seen it move things a few times, heal a nasty knife wound on the Mandalorian. It exhausts it easily though. Other than that it seems to be a pretty standard toddler, despite it's age. The Guild is still after both the Mandalorian and the child, unfortunately. Other groups have been looking as well. The bounty on it's tiny, wrinkly head is ridiculous. And I have no idea what the empire wants with it. Cloning is my theory." 

"The Mandalorian is treating you well?" He asks. 

Why does he care how Mando is treating me? What an odd question to ask. "Yes, sir? I'm sorry, why do you ask, exactly?" 

"The Mandalorians are known for their violent tendencies. I don't want anything to happen to you." He turns to Felix. "Lieutenant Edhorn, please get her ready for her mission. Should be pretty simple, just escort the vessel to Ord Pardron and come back. Get her in a flightsuit, and show her her ship." He turns back to me. "Good luck I will be checking back in frequently." He turns and walks away down another hallway. 

=============================================

I look at myself in the mirror, the color of the flight suit so bright compared to the muted colors I usually wear. The Beskar pauldron shines in the fluorescent lights. He never let me give it back, just wearing an old scuffed up durasteel one instead. His words from the night before echo in my head. "Nuhoy ner cyar'ika." Sleep my darling. His darling? And the way his arms were around me. The soft touches? He can't. Can he? Can he return my feelings? I showed him my face last night. Oh my Gods. I showed him my face. The entire thing! My arms burn with the thought of his gloveless fingertips ghosting over them. Stars, he might actually love me. I'm an idiot. No, I have a mission. I can't think about these things now. 

I hand the comm. link to Felix. "Lt. Edhorn" I try to get back into the military headspace. "My companion will try to contact me at some point today. He always does. I'm sure he's already up and pacing around in full armor. Tell him my location when he does. I can't have him anymore anxious than he already is. He needs to look after the child. Keep a clear head. He really doesn't need to be worried about me, but he will." 

He nods and slips it into his pocket as his eyes lock onto my shoulder. He blinks a few times before an alert pops up on his wrist comm. "They are ready for you on the flight deck." As soon as we walk through the doors a familiar sense of chaos creeps into my system. Not chaos, adrenaline. This may be a simple escort mission but the feeling is still there after the years being away from this place. 

A hand passes me a flight helmet and I hand them my goggles. The helmet fits snugly to my head. I buckle the chin strap and take a breath. "And what will I be piloting today?" I ask. 

"T-65B X-Wing, Captain." A voice replies from the chaos. 

"Amazing. Thank you. Let's get this show on the road." I follow Felix to the craft. An R4 droid chirps and trills at me. "Hello R4, are you ready for adventure today?" I ask it. It chirps and beeps in response. "Perfect!" I pull myself into the cockpit and take everything in from above the chaos. "I've missed this." I sigh deeply before harnessing myself in. "Alright R4, I promised Mando I would be back before dark. I plan to keep that promise, he might kill me if I don't." He trills a response. I flick switches as the observation glass closes after me. 

"This is your escort Captain Latimer, am I speaking to the Alto?" I ask as take off, flicking switches and pressing buttons. 

"Copy that Captain. This is the Alto, course set for Ord Pardron Starfighter Base. Do you copy?" A female voice crackles over the comm system. 

"I do indeed copy. Let's do this." I smile as I Watch the planet beneath me disappear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't my original idea for this story but oh well. This chapter was incredibly hard to write for whatever reason. Feedback is appreciated. Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

I jerk on the controls as I avoid the shots coming form the smugglers ships behind me. "Come on, assholes. Take the bait." I mumble as I dive down. One of the ships follows. "Perfect." I tug on the controls again as I send myself into a spin. "Ord Pardron this is Pilot X1973. I have a pair of smugglers trying to get at the Alto. I have it under control, be advised as there could be more." I grit my teeth through the comm message. I take a sharp curve to get myself behind the other ship. I jam down the firing button, the craft bursts apart in a fiery blaze. "One down, one to go." I roll to avoid the debris. I set my sites on the other ship and fire the blasters at it, it also explodes. "How are you doing up there Alto?" I ask making sure we are on a private channel.

"Better now Captain, thanks for that." A shaken voice answers me. I keep an eye on my radar as we enter orbit. "We can take it from here, Captain. Thank you for the escort." 

"copy that Alto. Good luck." I turn away from the ship. "Alright R4. Think we are going to make it back in time?" I ask the droid. It only beeps and whirs. "Well a little late might be okay. He will probably waiting for me in the hangar though. He worries to much. Let's switch to hyperdrive." I speak to him. A short trill in response. "Crondre, this is Captain Latimer, Pilot X1973, the Alto made it safe and sound. I am on my way back, about to engage hyperdrive. Do you copy?" 

"Copy that Captain. We will let Lt. Fedhorn know." They crackle over the comm.

"Alright R4 let's get home" The droid engages hyper drive.

My mind wanders as we glide through hyperspace. Whats Mando's real name? Part of me wants to know what he looks like under the helmet. The rest of me really doesn't care about what he looks like. He never wants to take the helmet off and let me see, so be it. He is kind, and loving and an amazing father to the kid. I respect his creed, his culture. I respect him, most of all. 

The droid beeps at me as we come out of hyperspace. "I see them too." I look down at my radar to see three dots. "X1973 to Crondre. I have three ships on my radar. Were there any other missions leaving today?" I ask getting closer. One of the ships fires rockets at me. That answers my question at least. I dive to avoid the lovely rockets. 

A crackle comes through my comm. "The child. We tracked it to this system. Where is it?" 

I blow the first ship to bits. Talking about my kid like it's just a hunk of cash. My kid? I don't have time for these thoughts. I dive towards the atmosphere. "Crondre, I'm brining them in to the atmosphere. I'll drag them towards base. The defenses are still running correct?" I ask hoping the answer to be yes. 

As I make it through the atmosphere I see the sun shining brightly against the snow. Sun. Shit. I jerk on the controls and barrel roll to get to the lead ship. Were the ships I took out earlier part of the same rag-tag bounty-hunter/smuggler group? I'd bet my left eye that they are. Crafty bastards. I fire rockets and the first ship blasts apart. Now to drag the other two towards base. I dive towards the glaciers as they follow me. 

My cheek starts to burn. The sun. I was stupid not to bring a mask, I thought the storm would continue till nightfall at least. Mando is going to have a fit when I land. I bet he is watching this little dogfight from the hangar. Gods, I'm so dead. I try to shake away the pain as I climb steeply between the two glaciers where the base is hidden. A shot rocks through the X-Wing. I have to get behind them, take at least one out. The others can get the last one. 

I flip a few switches before yanking the controls backwards. The droid squeals as our friends pass below me. Perfect. I dive and jam on the trigger button, unleashing a hail of blaster fire. The ship crashes into the narrowing between the glaciers. 

I climb again to avoid getting hit. "How are we looking down there?" I ask breathlessly. 

"Threat eliminated, X1973. You're safe to land." Ground crackles back to me. 

My cheek throbs as I softly touch down. I already know what it looks like, red, peeling, the raw skin underneath peeling, and shiny.

I open the canopy and slowly crawl out of the cockpit. Before I can even greet the mechanic and hand away my helmet, there is a Beskar wall in front of me. An angry Beskar wall. I try to look into his visor with a nervous half smile. He isn't having it. He's pissed. "Alright. Alright, just give me a minute. Let me do my post-flight checklist and talk to the mechanic. Okay? I gotta finish my job." I try to maintain my professional composure in front of the team. 

The mechanic drags me by my arm away. He is young, a few years younger than me. "What did you do to my X-Wing? You're lucky you didn't crash into the glaciers!" He yells at me. Fine, I'll take this one. Just this once though. I walk around the X-Wing as he continues to almost yell at me. Cosmetic damage, nothing serious.

Felix comes up to me. "Captain, do you mind if I take your helmet? Your still wearing it." I look at him. He has my goggles and scarf in his hands. 

I nod and let him slip it from my head. I put my goggles on and slip the scarf around my neck as Mando stalks up to me. "What the hell was that?!? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" 

I grab his arm and drag him down a hallway, the whole flight crew doesn't need to hear this argument. "I was doing my job. Protecting the assignment." It slips out before I can ever think about it. 

"Assignment?" He asks tension rising in his shoulders. 

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Yes, the child is of an extremely rare species. Not to mention Force sensitive. You think only the Empire knows about it? Who do you think has kept most of the creeps away from the kid? You alone?" 

He stands as still as a statue before speaking in a low, threatening voice. "How long have you been sending reports to them for?" I can tell his teeth are gritted under the helmet. 

"The day you showed up. That night when you went to sleep,I fixed the comm system on the Razor Crest. I had to let them know I left my post. I gave them minimal details, but it wasn't hard for them to figure out. A Mandalorian and a child, running from the Guild. There isn't very many of you left. You made a mess on Navarro." I try not to bite back. He's trying to intimidate me. It may work for his bounties, but not for me. 

He leans closer and my hand itches to grab my blaster. I know he's faster, though. Wouldn't hesitate to blow a hole in my chest. He grabs my chin and tilts it, looking at my cheek. The burn, well it burns, under his eyes. "This needs to be dressed." He says a little less coldly. 

Felix rounds the corner with the kid in his arms. "Are you done yelling at her? He likes to bite." He passes the child to Mando. 

"You knew he was going to yell at me and you didn't warn me? That's rude as hell, Lt." I shove my hands in my flightsuit pockets. 

I realize that I'm exhausted, I haven't eaten since last night, and my face hurts. "Those ships were after the kid. I ran into a few more outside orbit of Ord Pardron. We have a few days before they lock onto this planet. We need to rest, get supplies, get the Razor Crest looked at. I have to talk to Major Fonchill sometime tomorrow." I cross my arms over my chest. 

Mando shifts his weight from foot to foot. "Fine. Three days. That's it."


	8. Chapter 8

"Ow! That stings!" I whisper shout at Mando as he dabs at the burn on my cheek.

"Maybe you should have paid attention to the way the sun sets here." He grumbles out. 

It's dark and the child is sleeping finally. An ungloved hand reaches for the other side of my face. "You should have told me earlier." He says with quiet disappointment. 

"You don't think I didn't want to? I sat up in that X-Wing all day thinking about how I would have told you. I wasn't supposed to just blurt it out like that. I had a script all planned out and everything. I'm sorry. You can leave me here if you want to. I won't blame you." My eyes shift to my hands laying in my lap. 

I hiss as he places gauze over the burn. "I heard you stumbling around this morning. You grabbed my shirt. I'm pretty sure you tripped over my armor, too." He says softly. 

"Trying to get dressed for the day is hard with a blindfold on." I shrug. "I might keep stealing your clothes if you keep them laying around like that." 

His hand drops from my face and lands on my shoulder, touching the skin just underneath the neckline of the shirt with his thumb. I let my eyes slide closed as he rubs small circles over the skin. "Go get ready for bed." his voice is barely a whisper. 

I nod and let my feet carry me into the refresher. I stare at the gauze on my cheek, the white bandage taped across almost the entirety of my left cheek and jaw. How could I have been so stupid? Not wearing any protection as I entered the atmosphere. I sigh as I switch the shower from water to sonic. I strip and let the invisible waves clean the dust and oil from my skin. I change into a tank top and shorts and exit the room, 

Mando stands in full armor holding my scarf in his hands. He inspects it carefully, poking his fingers through a rather large hole in the fabric. "I'll get supplies tomorrow while you report back to your CO." He looks up at me as I crawl under the thick covers of the bed. I let him tie the piece of fabric around my eyes before he tucks me in. I almost feel like a little kid again. 

I hear weapons and armor being methodically placed on the table just like last night. Canvas layers scrape against each other, flak jackets. The sounds stop before I feel the bed dip. Arms wrap around me and I'm pulled close against him. "Ner orikih senaaar. Nuhoy." He sighs into my hair. 

_My tiny bird._ How adorable. I let sleep overwhelm me. 

======================================

_I run as the smell of smoke and blood fills the air. I have to get to them. "Calder! Mother! Father!" I scream until my throat is raw. I stumble over something and fall. Blood coats my hands and soaks into my pants. I look behind me. A soldier in white armor hover over them. He fires his blaster._

"NO!" I awake with a scream. I can't see. I claw at the cloth over my eyes. 

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't do that. I have you. It's okay." A voice comes from the darkness around me. I'm crushed into something hard and warm, one hand on the back of my hand the other wrapped tightly around my waist. "I have you. It's okay. Relax." The voice says again, calm and flat. 

My breathing slows as the dream fades away. It's just Mando. I grip onto his shirt as I shake. "The imps, I watched them kill them. Calder, he kept screaming my name, clutching their bodies." Tears slide down my face. 

"Tell me about Calder. He's your brother right?" He asks kissing the crown of my head and rubbing his hand up and down my back. 

"He was just like my mother. Strong, and brave. He worked as a medic for the Rebels. He got my mothers eyes, or lack thereof. The whole Miraluka, no eyes thing. He also got the ridiculous Balasor antennae things. After my parents died he disappeared. The Empire started hunting the Miraluka. He looked to much like one. I left on my first pilot mission and when I came back he was gone. He left behind the dagger our father gave to us. It was a special kind of glass. Some nights I see him and he's safe. Other nights I see him dead. The life draining from his body. He's all I have left and I don't know if he's alive or dead." I say into the darkness. I haven't told anyone about my family in years. 

I slowly reach out for his face. He doesn't shy away when I touch his cheek. I glide my fingers over the new skin, angular jaw, a nose that has been broken a few times, a bit of stubble, soft slightly chapped lips. He must bite down on his lower one when he's nervous. His hair is longer than I expected. Softer, too. Ruggedly handsome. A broken picture appears in my mind. "Do you have dark hair and dark eyes?" I ask barely a whisper. 

"Yes, Are you sure you can't see me under there?" He asks with a bit of humor in his voice. 

"They say the Miraluka can see without their eyes. See through the Force. My mother ran into way too many things for that to be true." I smile. I run my fingers over his lips again. What would he do if I kissed him? "Why do you still trust me?" A whisper. 

"I trust you because of the child. I was there listening when you were fighting off those ships. You called him 'my kid'. He may have been an assignment at first but now you really do care about him. I turned him in, I got paid the beskar that my armor is made out of. I traded a child who had never done anything before, for metal. It felt wrong. You risked your life for him." He holds my face in his hands. 

Without a second thought I lean down and connect our lips. His are soft and warm and perfect. He kisses me back gently. I melt into his embrace. We pull away gently, breathless. "We should really go back to sleep." He slurs tiredly.

I lay back on his chest and listen to his quick heartbeat. Sleep takes me once again.

===================================================================

I awake to bright light filtering through the curtains. Mando sits with the kid on his lap, bouncing him softly. "Jate vaar'tur, ner orikih senaar." 

"Tiny bird?" I ask sleepily as I sit up. I lean over to grab my goggles from the night table. A shiver runs through me as the blankets fall away from my body, exposing my skin to the chill in the room. 

"I didn't know you spoke Mando'a." He gets up and sets the child in bed next to me. He hands me my goggles, and a shirt. I slip it over my head, it smells like him. "We should redress the burn." 

The kid burrows into my side under the blankets. He presses his cold fingers into my skin. I let him just this once. Mando comes back with bandages. He peels at the one on my face. "It doesn't feel as bad as it looks. They always look so bad." I murmur.

"Gar jehaat." He says quietly as he dabs medication on it. 

"I am not lying. I've dealt with these my whole life. You get used to them after awhile." I shrug. 

"So, you know more than just the basics of Mando'a. Who taught you?" His helmet tilts with the question. 

"My parents wanted us to be fluent in at least one ancient language. My brother chose Miralukese, I chose Mando'a. My mother taught my brother, but my father hired a Mandalorian to teach me. She was an interesting woman. I didn't know very much about her. She just taught me the lesson and left. I don't even think she gave me her name." I try to ignore the way his fingers hesitate on my face. I grab his wrist. "Are you okay?" I ask. 

"I don't want to see you hurt." I can hear the fear in his voice. What happened to this man? I want to pull him close and never let go. 

"I'm okay. It'll take a few days to heal. No big deal." I lay my hand on the side of his helmet where I think his cheek would be. He shakes it off and continues with the wound. 

After I am dressed properly I turn to him. "Are you taking the child with you into town? Or would you like me to take him with me so Major Fonchill can take a look at him? Put a face to the legend." 

"Take him with you. You have warmer clothes. Make sure to wear your scarf. I can't have you getting anymore burns. Cuyir morut'yc, ner orikih senaar." He taps his helmet to my forehead. 

I nod and he walks out of the door leaving nothing but cold air in his wake. I turn to the green child still huddled in the blankets of the bed. "You aren't going to like me much, but we have to go outside." I cover my face with my scarf and slide on the breathing mask. I slip on my thick parka before wrapping the child in a blanket and tucking him into the sling under my coat. "Alright, all cozy. Let's go see Fonchill." 

===================================

"Captain Latimer. It's good to see you this morning." Felix says happily as I walk through the doors to the hangar. A coo sounds beneath my coat. "You brought it with you?" He looks afraid of it.

"Lt. it's a baby. He couldn't have bit you that hard." I tease. The kid bites rather hard, I've experienced it first hand. "Fonchill told me to come check in with him today. Mission debrief. I figured he could take a look at the Beast himself." 

"Captain, my office if you don't mind." Fonchills voice rings out. 

"Speak of the devil himself." I mutter to myself as I walk down the hall. 

"Good morning, sir. I have brought the child for you to meet." I speak quickly as I unzip my coat. 

He comes around his desk. "Theres no way that thing is 50 years old." His eyes are wide as he taken in the child.

"Species do age differently." I say with a sigh, I don't know how many times I've had to tell this to people. 

"It's so small. Does he have a name?" He reaches for the child. I let him pull him out of the sling. 

"Not yet, sir. The Mandalorian calls him Adii'ka. Child in Mando'a. I'm not sure how naming foundlings is handled in their culture." I smile down at the tiny bundle, his large ears peeking out from his blanket. 

"Your mission went well yesterday, except for those smugglers, correct?" His grey eyes flit between me and the child. 

"I don't even know if they were smugglers. I know the Guild sent them." I cross my arms over my chest. "They could have been a group of hunters and smugglers working together. They are way too bold for my taste." 

He nods and takes a moment to think. "I want you off of the planet by morning. Maybe even tonight. I will have a mechanic look at your ship. It's the Razor Crest correct?" He asks.

"Yes, sir. The Mandalorian is in town right now getting supplies. Tonight won't be an issue. Thank you for letting us stay this long." He hands me back the child. 

"I will be keeping in contact with you about the little one. He is good hands." He smiles at me and then the child. "Be safe out there, Captain." 

I walk out of his office and place the baby back under my coat to keep him warm. "So much for getting a few days off. On the run again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jate vaar'tur, ner orikih senaar- good morning my tiny bird.  
> Gar jehaat- You lie  
> Cuyir morut'yc, ner orikih senaar- Be safe my tiny bird.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe a little smutty in this one, touchy feely hands for sure, lots of making out and a bit of undressing.  
> Sorry about such a late update I got caught up writing my other fic. I'm back on my Mando bullshit now!

"What the hell are you doing?" Mando asks. 

I continue staring at the ceiling of the ship not moving from my spread eagle position on the cargo bay floor. "Couldn't sleep. Thought a change of scenery might have helped. Now I don't have the motivation to get up. Come join me. The kid's asleep and we are in the middle of nowhere hyperspace" 

"I sent you down here to sleep three hours ago. You didn't get any sleep at all?" He asks, placing a hand on his hip. 

"Too many questions. Too many thoughts." I roll my eyes back to the same spot I've been staring at. 

A modulated sigh leaves him. Defeat, maybe? Have I officially drove him insane? "We are going to bed. Come on." Oh, he must just be tired.

"Both of us are going to fit in that bunk?" I ask finally looking at him.

"You sleep on top of me any ways. I need you rested and alert. Olaror to ni o'r haav, orikih senaar. Gar linibar nuhoy." His voice softens when he speaks in his native tongue. I haul myself off the floor and dust myself off. "I also have something for you."

I haul myself off the floor and brush myself off. Something for me? A gift? I round the corner and see him holding a ball of fabric. "You didn't. How many credits was this?" I run my fingers over the dark blue fabric. It's soft and sturdy at the same time. I notice that one of his hands is behind his back. "Lemme see." I reach out my hand. He brings out a gorgeous forest green silk scarf. I run my fingers over it. "Who did you murder to get this?" After the fall of Alderaan luxuries like these became way to pricey for normal people to actively afford. 

"I may have gotten rid of a few nasty drunks and the shop keeper gave me one as payment." He shrugs as if it's no big deal. 

I run my fingers through the gorgeous fabric. "It's beautiful." I murmur. 

I look up to see Mando already taking off pieces of armor. He must be exhausted. We have been in the air at least seventeen hours, he was up before me yesterday and we haven't gotten any sleep since. I take off my goggles and the old nasty scarf, I need to put it away later, just in case. I shrug out of my jacket and boots, my body exhausted. My mind reels with questions. He bought me scarves? Why? He bought me fancy scarves at that. He could have gotten me fabric scraps and I would have been just as grateful.

"I can hear your thoughts from here." The modulated voice says. He holds up the blue scarf. "Come here." There's a warmth in my stomach when he says the words. So commanding, yet gentle. I move to stand in front of him as he ties the fabric around my eyes. His hands guide me to the bunk. I can feel him slide in before I hear the pneumatic hiss from his helmet being removed. He grabs my hand and drags me on top of him. His hands are pressed against my waist firmly. The heat reignites deep inside of me. His hands move to just under my shirt. His thumbs brush against my hip bones. "So small." His hands drift higher up my ribcage, "So soft." He murmurs. 

I feel like I can't breathe. His fingertips leave a trail of fire where ever they go. I take a shuttering breath. Pace yourself. This is a man who is barely touched, and when he is it's hash and voilent, nothing but pain. I slowly sit up a bit and reach for his face. "Can I kiss you?" I ask tracing his lips with my fingertips. 

"Please." His voice sounds wrecked. I connect our lips and he sighs into the kiss. I lace on hand into his hair and tug lightly on the strands. His fingers dig into my skin as he groans. So he likes his hair pulled? Hmm. I run my tongue over his bottom lip, asking for entrance. He opens up to me in a sloppy act of desperation. His hands slide further up my shirt.

I pull back, trying to gauge his reaction. "Want me to take it off?" I whisper breathing heavily. 

He whimpers below me. He grabs the hem of the thick fabric and drags it over my head. A breath is drawn in when he realizes I'm not wearing a bra. "You don't-" He swallows audibly. 

"I wear enough layers." I lean back down and connect our lips again. He growls lightly and I'm flipped so my back hits the mattress. I run my hands down his chest and reach for the hem of the soft cotton shirt he's wearing. "Can I take this off?" I ask wearily. Don't push it. Take it slow. I feel him pull away for a moment before we are pressed chest to chest again. Skin to skin. It knocks the breath out of me. My hands run over the muscle, all of the scars, any imperfections. No, not imperfections, not at all. 

His hands skim up my sides making me shiver. He focuses on a scar on my side. "What happened here?" He asks nuzzling and kissing at the skin on my neck. 

I hum and run my hand along his spine soothingly. "I was in my flightsuit, we were at a cantina in Republic City. We had just finished an escort mission. A group of Imperial sympathizers decided to pick a fight. I didn't even have time to pull my blaster before one got me with a vibroknife. One of my crew members took him out. It took forever to heal. Especially over the ribs like that." 

He settles his head on my chest, his ear pressed to my heart. I run my fingers through his hair. I feel him reach for a blanket that was discarded at the end of the bed, he pulls it over us. "Sleep. I have you." I murmur into the darkness. I feel all the tension leave his body as he sighs contently. _I have you._ The words echo through my mind as I drift off. 

=====================

_I slide through the mud, smoke and blaster fire filling the air. The medic looks between me and my father. "Kid, you shouldn't be here." He mumbles as he stuffs more gauze into the wound._

_I set my blaster down as I grip my fathers hand. I'm not stupid and neither is he. "It's alright Dad. I'm right here. I have you." Blood trickles out of his mouth. I've seen soldiers die from far less than this. Shrapnel sticks out of the wound in his chest. I move closer, placing his head in my lap._

_Calder comes sliding up next to me. "Both of you?" The medic asks exasperated._

_"Calder's here too. We aren't going anywhere." The battle rages on around us. White armored figures blur by, red blaster bolts fly through the air._

_Calder sits next to me, I lean into him. The last of our family. Dying here in front of us. At least we get to say goodbye to him._

_More blood trickles as he coughs. "Wirel." He whispers my mothers name. "Do you see her?" There's so much hope in his eyes as he lifts his finger pointing towards nothing._

_"I see her Dad. I see her." I lie through my tears. I hear Calder sniffle beside me. "Go to her. It's alright. We will be okay. We will keep fighting. Go be with her."_

_"She came. Just like she said she would." He whispers weakly. So weakly. A small smile graces his lips as the life drains from his eyes._

_I let Calder drag me to my feet and away from the body. He's gone. I look up at Calder, for only 21 he looks so old and tired. Orphans by war. I've heard the others talking about children like this. Usually smaller ones, five, maybe six years old. But an adult and a 17 year old? Does the name still have the same power. A sob escapes my throat._

_Calder pulls me behind the wreckage of something. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I have you." He shakes my shoulders. "I have you."_

_======================_

I wake up to the sound of laughter, the giggles coming from somewhere inside the hull of the ship. I dry the tears from my cheeks as I sit up. Did he take the blindfold off of me? He must have. I look around for my shirt, I cover myself with the blanket before shouting "Hey, Mando? Where's my shirt?" I can't find the damned thing anywhere.

Heavy footsteps come to me and a piece of fabric is thrown to me. "The kid has it, but he's up in the vents somewhere." 

I pull the soft fabric over my head before sliding out of the bunk. The air is freezing around me. I hear a thump and more giggles. "I knew I should have covered that vent." I murmur as I hug my arms around myself in the freezing air.

"I turned off the heating so the vents wouldn't get hot." Mando's visor is locked onto my chest.

I look down to see my nipples hard under the fabric. He makes a pained noise that the helmet barely picks up. "There is a child in the vents of this rust bucket! Focus!" I climb one of the crates and pry off one of the vent panels. 

"Walking around in my clothes like that." I can hear him say under his breath. I try to hide my blush as I stick my head into the vent. The kid squeals when he sees me. He takes off in the other direction. "Don't you dare!" I lunge in and grab him by the collar of his robe. I wrap arm around him. "Mando! Pull us out please!" I shout. 

A gloved hand clamps around my ankle. "My name is Din." He grunts as he slides me out of the small space. 

The breath is knocked out of me. "Your name?" I squeak. "Is Din?" 

"Din Djarin." He takes the child from me. 

I stand stunned on top of the crate. His name. I know his name! I start laughing. Almost hysterically. He just stands and stares. I know his name! I hop down the crate and cross the small space, he lets me burrow into his side, still giggling. "Your name is Din. It fits you so well." I say, smiling into his cowl. 

Din Djarin. Amazing 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading!  
> Olaror to ni o'r haav, orikih senaar. Gar linibar nuhoy- Come join me in bed, tiny bird. You need sleep


	10. Chapter 10

I swat at the cloud of gnats as I walk through it. A huff out a breath. Yavin 4, of course he would choose here. "Were you stationed here?" Din asks breaking my irritated thoughts. 

"I lived here for a while. It was before I fought. So, I guess my parents were stationed here. My mother loved it. She said the humidity was good for the bones. Her daughter who was covered head to toe, did not share the same philosophy." I try to joke. The child squeals from where he's harnessed on my back. "No, you aren't getting down. Do you see how green it is here? You stumble into one of those ferns and you'll never be seen again." I look over my shoulder to see his ears flattened to his head. "Nope. That may work with your father but it doesn't work on me." He swats at the back of my neck. "Hey, no hitting." I sound like a mother, so domestic. 

I hear a scoff from the Mandalorian in front of me. "It does not work on me."

"Stop lying to yourself. He has you wrapped around his stubby little finger." I smile, this actually feels really good. Domesticity shouldn't feel this good, right? 

"I have a few contacts here. They have a son. I would like to take the child to meet them." Din looks back at me. 

"You mean friends? You don't arrange a play date if you aren't friends." I adjust my scarf to try and get some air under it. Gods, it's hot here. "What's their names?"

"Dameron." He replies curtly. 

Dameron. Where have I heard that name? Hmm. I shrug it off as we come upon the town. It's small but lively. I follow Din up to the door of a small house. He knocks and takes a step back. A child with a head of curly brown hair answers the door. He doesn't look scared at all of the two people covered head to toe. "Dad! There's two people and a green thing here to see you!" He yells out, running away from the door. 

A man comes to the door, he looks rugged. Tan skin, dark hair and eyes. "Mando! I didn't think you would be here this soon!" He embraces Din.

"Kes. How are you?" Kes. Kes Dameron? Wife of Shara Bey? One of the best pilots in the Alliance. "How's Shara?" 

I see the mans face sink. No. She couldn't have. "She passed away a few months ago." Damn it. 

"I'm sorry for your loss." I say across the threshold. 

"Poe told me there was a woman with a cover over her face. I thought he meant another Mandalorian." He says looking into my goggled eyes. 

Din steps aside so I can introduce myself. "Finch Latimer." I shake his hand. I don't tell I served under Shara. 

He purses his lips as if in thought. "Come inside. We have a few things to discuss." He ushers us in. 

The house is cozy, toys spread all over the living space, Poe currently playing with an X-wing. It brings a smile to my face. The man draws the blinds and shuts the door, blocking out most of the light. "Latimer. Daughter of Wirel and Cidil Latimer? You served under my wife for a while. What happened to your brother? Calder, right?" The man turns to me a sad smile on his face. 

I strip off the scarf and push my goggles up my head. "I haven't talked to Calder in almost six years. He ran when the Empire started hunting the Miraluka." I trail off. 

I place the child on the floor and it wobbles to Poe. He crouches down looking at him with a curious expression. "Can he play with me?" The boy asks excitedly. 

"Of course!" I usher the kid to him. Gods, Poe is adorable.

I turn my attention back to Kes. "How did you get mixed up with Mando here?" He points to the wall of Beskar standing in his living room. 

"He wanted my help with the kid. Found me on Saraveen. Anything to get off of that hellhole." I don't tell him about the assignment. There's no reason for him to know. He looks to Poe. "She flew with your mom. Can you believe that?" 

The child looks up mesmerized. "You flew with her? I have to show you something!" The boy tugs on my hand. I wrap my scarf around my head and slide my goggles back on before being yanked out of the house. He continues to pull me through a bit of the forest before we come upon a clearing. In said clearing sits an A-wing. "Can you fly it?" He asks me. 

My heart sinks as I look at the ship. This was her ship. I look behind me to Din and Kes. Kes has that same sad smile on his face when he speaks. "She used to take him up in it. I'm not the best pilot." He shrugs. 

"I don't know if that's the best idea, Buddy." I crouch to his level. 

"Dad. Please. Can she take me up? Please?" He begs his father. 

Can I really be a substitute for this kids mother? First of all I'm barely 25, second of all, this was Shara Bey's A-wing. It feels disrespectful. I look back at his father. His face says it all. This is the first time the kid has wanted to go up since his mother's passing. The first time those big, round, brown eyes have sparked with that kind of joy and excitement. "Yes. She can." He says, a genuine smile on his face now. 

"Alright, let me talk to the Mandalorian there for a few minutes. Okay?" I run my gloved hand through his unruly hair. 

He nods eagerly before running into the house. I turn back to the men. "What are my ground rules here? Off world?" I fully intend on letting this skinny boy take the controls for awhile. He deserves it. 

"Stay in the system, keep your comms on." Mando stands with his hands resting on his utility belt. He walks up to me. "I'll go look for a few parts to fix that wiring. Just be careful. Don't kill the kid. Ours needs you." He lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes gently. 

My heart skips a beat. Our kid? Woah. 

Poe comes running back out of the house with a helmet in his hands. He tugs on my arm and climbs into the cockpit. I sit down and slide the helmet on before he climbs in my lap. I lower the cockpit cover over us. "Do you know the starting sequence?" I ask. He flicks a few switches and the ship roars to life. "Oh yeah. You got this, kid." I get a handle on the controls as he gets comfortable in my lap. "Alright I'll get us out of atmosphere and then you can take over for a while." I glide the ship out of the trees. Poe watches with wide eyes as the trees disappear below us. The stars quickly start to shine brighter as I move us out of the hazy atmosphere. He starts to get a bit antsy. "You ready? This'll be fun. Put your hands where mine are. I'll control the throttle for now. Just concentrate on steering." 

This kid is a natural. I sit back as he zips back and forth. I look out at the orange gas giant. He smirks for a moment before he jerks the controls into a barrell roll. I hold on for dear life. "You're going to make an amazing pilot one day Poe. Captain Poe Dameron. Or better yet, Commander Poe Dameron. I like that one better. I can see you with your own X-Wing squadron. You're mom would be so proud." I'm proud of him. Getting back into this ship after his mom died. He's amazing. I take off the helmet and slide it onto his head. It's way too big, but he doesn't care. I let him do a few more tricks before checking the fuel levels. We have just enough to get back. "Alright you. We are almost out of fuel. We gotta get back." He groans but let's me take back the helmet. "How are we looking down there, Ground?" I ask into the comm knowing I'll get Mando or Kes. 

"Clear down here. Come on back." Kes crackles through. 

"Hold on tight." I flick a few switches before I dive down. Poe grips onto me while laughing. I barell roll us as we make it to the atmosphere. I level us out and he groans sadly. "Your dad would kill me if he saw me doing this with you." A smile spreads across my face, I need to pilot more often. We land gently and he's out of the cockpit before the engines are all the way off. He runs to his dad. I hop out and do a once around to make sure everything is okay. Kes walks over to me. "Thnk you. He hasn't even come out here since she died. I don't know what you did to make him want to go out again. I feel like I have my son back." He hugs me tightly. I pull back and keep him at arms length. "He's going to be an amazing pilot one day, but he needs someone to teach him. I'll have Di- Mando give you my information. Contact me at any time. I mean it." The man nods and thanks me again. I bend down to Poe's level. "You'll be seeing more of me, Little Guy."

I straighten out as I see Mando walk towards us a small box full of wires in his arms. The child is strapped to his back, like he was to mine earlier. I take the box from him as he gives Kes a light embrace. "I wish we could stay longer but we have to keep moving. I have to keep these two safe." He nods over to me. 

Poe slams into me and wraps his arms around my legs. "Come back soon. Promise?" I can see tears shining in his brown eyes. I kneel down and he clutches onto me. 

"I promise." I hug him. When did I become this soft around kids? "I have to go. We have to keep the little gremlin safe from some bad people." He nods and I brush the tears from his cheeks. "Take care of that ship. It's special." I stand and ruffle his curls one more time. I turn to Kes. "Thank you for letting me take him up. You have both of our information if you need anything. I mean anything." 

"Both of you be safe." He looks between me and Din. He turns and picks Poe up to take him inside. 

Din looks down at me before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and bringing me close as we walk back to the ship. I look up at him. "Our kid, huh?" 

He squeezes me into his side. "You're a part of this family too, you know." 

The words knock the breath from my lungs. Family. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cryyyyy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist adding in kid Poe Dameron after I saw Albindraws drawing on Tumblr. Go check them out!  
> The next chapter will be back to the story a bit more. I just had to put some kind of ridiculously fluffy stuff in here.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT!!  
> Good old fashioned cock pit sex.

I'm shoved into a panel as I replace the old wiring. A shock runs through my fingers making them a little numb. "Hey, is the power off back here? I just got a decent zot?" I shout through the ship. 

I hear heavy boots come towards me before a pair of gloved hands wander at the exposed skin of my lower back. "Sorry. I got the wrong circuit. Are you okay?" His modulated voice is full of concern. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Can you hand my the sawdering iron? I'm almost done. Couple more and we should be on our way." I stick a gloved hand out blindly. The tool is placed in my hand and I make a few adjustments before pulling myself out of the wall. I take off my goggles before dusting my self off. "It's nasty in there. But. It should get us where we need to go. This planet is way to humid." I scale the ladder quickly before powering up the ship. I flick the necessary switches before Din climbs the ladder. 

"The kid isn't waking up anytime soon." The bounty hunters hands find my waist. He hooks his chin over my shoulder watching as I continue the take off sequence. Gloved fingers find their way under my shirt, exposing my skin to the sun filtering into the cockpit.

I swat his hands away. "Stop that. You wanna rub burn cream on me for the next week?" I hear him huff as I try to move towards the pilots seat. I look back at him. "Got a problem with me piloting?" I joke. 

He simply sits and pulls me onto his lap. This is new, and very forward. "Go ahead." His voice is raspy and lower than it usually is. Focus on piloting, not on the way those gloved hands are running up and down your thighs. 

I take a deep breath and flick the remaining switches and take the controls. As I ease us out of the atmosphere his hands wander their way to my inner thighs. He slowly eases my legs apart. My heart races. "Don't make us go hurdling back into that planet. Do you want to crash?" I try desperately to concentrate.

He only growls and pulls me against him. My eyes widen as I feel him. He's hard, very hard. How long has he been this worked up? I smirk when I get an idea. I shift my weight in his lap as I engage the hyperdrive. My hips brush against his covered length. He groans at the friction. "Stop that. I'm in charge," His fingertips dig into my skin.

I rock back against him again, the smirk still plastered to my face. "Oh, you think you're in charge?" 

A hiss leaves the modulator. "I knew you were going to be a handful." His hands run up and down my sides. "Is it safe to take all this off?" He asks softly, messing with the hem of my shirt. My heart melts at the words. Something as simple as asking to remove my protective clothing should not make me feel this way.

"Everything but the goggles. The lights." I reply shakily. 

He starts by unraveling the scarf from around me. He sets it aside before he slowly drags the fabric of my shirt over my head. I shiver at the cool air in the cockpit. The worn leather of his gloves travels over the delicate skin of my stomach before making their way upward. He palms my breasts and drags me closer to him. My back is flush against the cold Beskar chestplate, and I gasp. He rolls my nipples between his thumb and forefingers and I mewl in pleasure. He growls before dropping his hands. "Boots off. I want to strip you myself." 

His words shoot straight to my core and I whimper at the thought of being completely naked in front of him while he is in full armor. Do I have an armor kink? Oh no, what if I do? I stand and kick my boots and socks off. His hands roughly turn me around so I'm facing him. I feel his eyes on me even though I cant see them. "Mesh'la." He murmurs. 

I blush at his words. He thinks I'm beautiful? His deft fingers unbutton the loose workpants I'm wearing and he shoves them off my hips, leaving me in just my thin black panties. His gaze feels as though its burning into my skin. I move my arms to cover myself, but he stops me. "Nayc linibar at haaranovor, cyar'ika. Come here." He guides me so that I'm straddling his hips. One of his hands glides up my arm before he traces my lips. I let him slide the tip of his middle finger past my lips. "Bite." He commands. I gently bite down on his glove and he slides his hand out. The glove drops down to the floor beside us as his bare hand glides up my side. His visor is locked onto my skin. "Who gave you the right to be this small?" He growls out. He slides his other glove off and grips my hips roughly. 

I look down at his skin on mine, his rough fingertips digging into my soft skin. His hands are huge, almost wrapping completely around my waist. I whimper at the sight. I'm about to be wrecked by this man. And I can't wait. "Do you know what you're doing to me? Hiding all of this behind those bulky clothes." His hands slide up and down my sides. 

"Only for you. Just for your eyes." I gasp as his thumbs slip into the elastic of my panties. 

"That's right, sweet girl. Up." He pushes me to a standing position again as he shoves the offending garment off and down my legs. 

The cool air of the cockpit makes goosebumps roll across my skin. I keep my eyes locked on his visor as I kneel between his legs. I run my hands up and down his armored thighs. "Is this okay?" I ask.

He groans as my hands reach for the utility belt. I'll take that as a yes. I undo the buckle and go for the button on his pants. "You're saying I wear bulky clothes. Have you seen what you wear recently?" I tease as I slide the zipper down. I hook my fingers into the thick canvas as he lifts his hips. I yank them down his thighs before the armor stops me. I start at the size of his cock. The tip red and leaking precome. How in the hells is that going to fit anywhere? Precome beads at the head. My mouth waters at the site. I wrap my hand around him and give a few pumps. "I'm going to suck your cock now." I say with a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders. I lean in and lightly suckle on the head, licking into the slit gathering the salty liquid on my tongue. I look up into his visor as I take him deeper into my mouth.

I rub my thighs together to try and get some kind of friction as I wonder what he sees. What do I look like to him? Nipples hardened from the cold cockpit air, lips red and swollen around his cock. I bet I look like a god damned wet dream. 

His hands weave into my hair as his thighs start to tremble. He pulls my head back. "If you keep doing that I won't be able to cum where I want too." 

Oh my gods. "And where do you want to come?" I ask him with a fake sense of innocence. 

"Inside of you." He breathes out. Holy shit. Woah. If I wasn't wet before I certainly am now. This man is going to be the death of me. I nervously adjust the goggles covering my eyes. When was the last time I had sex? Oh my gods. What am I doing? "Get out of that head of yours." Din's voice cuts through the noise in my brain. I let him drag me back into his lap. 

His hand drifts from my waist to my aching cunt. He stops for a second, looking at me through the visor. He's asking for permission to touch me. I blush harder, if that's even possible before I gulp nervously. "It's okay. You can touch me." I barely breathe out. 

His rough fingertips drag through my slick folds. I thought with the gloves maybe his hands would be soft. Was I wrong. A moan escapes my throat before I clamp my hand over my mouth. "Good girl. We can't wake the kid. He won't ever go back to sleep." Din's voice is rough, rougher than usual. Two fingers slide into me without warning. "Oh, sweet girl. Did I make you this wet?" 

Alright, what happened to the awkward Din that can barely have a conversation with someone? Where did this guy come from? Is he the same guy under that helmet? 

I whimper when he withdraws his fingers. "Please." 

"Relax. I've got you." He says as he positions me over his cock. "Ready?" He asks.

I bite my lip as he lowers me so our hips meet. I whimper at the pleasure pain 

"I've got you, sweet girl. Relax." He strokes down my sides. 

I moan when he gives an expiremental thrust. "More. Please." 

I bounce gently on his cock taking him in little by little. He meets my hips each time with a well timed thrust. "I've thought about this. What you would look like riding me with the stars behind you. Gods have I thought about it." His words are rough. 

Stars. He's thought about me? Like this? What did I do to deserve him? 

A choked off groan brings me back. His hand finds its way to my clit. "Cum on my cock. Please. Let me feel you." He groans. 

His words shoot jolts of pleasure through my belly. It's all too much at once. "Please. 'M so close." 

"Cum for me Finch." His fingers speed up against my clit. 

I come, and I come hard. White hot pleasure fills my senses, blotting out everything else except for him. His thrusts become erratic and irregular as he inches closer to his orgasm. "Can, can I?" His words are clipped, grunted out in bliss. "Can I come inside of you?" 

"Gods, yes." I moan out, his arms lock around me, keeping me in place as he empties himself deep inside of me. The noises he makes as he comes are amazing. Little gasps of breath and punched out moans. 

I did this to him, made him feel this good. It's a strange power trip. His head rests on my chest as he catches his breath. I want to run my fingers through his hair as he comes down. Kiss him. He settles me in his lap before speaking. "Stay. Right here. With me. Please?" 

"Of course." I rest my head on his armoured chest, it should feel cold, impersonal, but the armour just feels like an extension of who he is. Just another part of him. "I'll always be here." I mumble before I let sleep take me. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nayc linibar at haaranovor, cyar'ika- No need to hide, darling  
> What's funny is that I'm sitting at the ER right now because I dislocated my right shoulder. I typed this with one hand on my phone. Oh good gods. I might get my shit together one day.


End file.
